The study, led by scientists at the Polytechnic Institute of Messina in Messina, Italy, used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to profile illicit cannabis samples. The results were published in the Journal of Chromatography A (1). ).
High detailed images of fresh cannabis cultivation | Image credit: © The Allery – Stock.adobe.com
Cannabis sativa L. is one of the most widely cultivated plants for illegal purposes worldwide and is the most consumed illegal drug. In 2021, the amount of the drug Cannabis sativa L. seized in Europe reached its highest level in a decade. Europe remains an important production region for cannabis, even though some EU member states have implemented changes to cannabis regulations. The main illegal cannabis-based products are marijuana (herbal cannabis) and hashish (cannabis resin). The former is obtained primarily from the flower tops and leaves of the plant, while the latter is obtained through a relatively lengthy cottage industry process of successive drying, sifting and finally pressing, or by butane hash oil (BHO) extraction. will be produced. In 2021, EU member states declared 202,000 seizures of hashish (equivalent to 816 tonnes) and 240,000 seizures (equivalent to 256 tonnes) of marijuana.
While recreational and medical cannabis is being legalized and expanding, the cannabis industry faces different regulations in different countries. Therefore, two prominent technologies, gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC), have become reliable solutions for this process (2). LC has become the preferred technique for cannabinoid, potency testing, mycotoxin, and pesticide analysis, while GC has become the industry standard for residual solvent and terpene analysis.
To accurately identify drugs or chemicals, the Seized Drug Analysis Scientific Working Group (SWGDRUG) recommends using analytical schemes based on validated methods. This requires the use of multiple decorrelation techniques, grouped into the three categories listed to reduce the discriminatory power from A to C. Mass spectrometry (MS) is included as a Category A technique and GC as a Category B technique. In this study, scientists believe that a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) approach could potentially aid law enforcement efforts and aid police operations.
To test this, we used GC-MS to profile cannabinoids and terpenes in 25 confiscated samples consisting of Cannabis sativa L. flower tips confiscated from January 2022 to July 2023. was held. All samples were first evaluated in terms of THC content. The profiles were evaluated by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) extraction followed by GC-MS and gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis. Finally, an innovative multidimensional gas chromatography (MDGC) approach based on the combination of a one-dimensional nonpolar stationary phase and a two-dimensional chiral stationary phase was implemented. This was combined in parallel with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (C-IRMS) and MS detection to study the enantiomeric and carbon isotope ratios of selected enantiomeric pairs.
Although information about the cannabis variety used in this experiment was not made public, the scientists recorded a combination of qualitative and quantitative data (volatile fraction and THC/CBD content), chiral data, and isotopic data. I did. This suggests a close correlation between specific drug samples. These findings made it possible to tentatively group narcotic samples with common laboratory results due to the same or similar seizure date. These in turn would suggest a common origin. Although these findings are promising, future research efforts are needed. In the study, scientists say the aim is to collect more seized samples as a more rigorous methodology for tracking drug flower tips to further aid police investigations. .
References
(1) Micalizzi, G. Cucinotta, L. Chiaia, V. Alibrando, F. et al. Profiling of confiscated cannabis sativa L. flower tops by microwave-assisted hydrogen distillation and gas chromatography analysis. J. Chromatogr. A 2024, 1727, 464994. DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464994
(2) Cannabis testing – understand the role of chromatography. SCION Instruments 2024. https://scioninstruments.com/blog/ Understanding-the-role-of-chromatography-in-cannabis-testing/ (accessed June 17, 2024)
